Catch-basins have long been used for disposing of surface drainage at a point where a street gutter discharges into a sewer pipe, to catch matter which would not readily pass through the sewer. Such catch-basins may also serve as a reservoir to catch and retain surface drainage. They are usually provided with solid, upstanding, hollow, cylindrical walls of thick, water-impervious concrete with a sewer pipe or drain entering proximate the bottom wall, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 821,675 to Shaw of May 29, 1906; 1,391,336 to Meiners of Sept. 20, 1921; 1,712,510 to Monie of May 14, 1929; 3,695,153 to Dorris of Oct. 3, 1972; and 3,715,958 to Crawford of Feb. 13, 1973. Except for an occasional outlet or inlet pipe hole in the side wall of these drainage catch-basins, the upper section of the side wall is unapertured and does not leach water into the surrounding earth. The lower portions are not sealed sump receptacles for retaining silt and sand, but such silt and sand would flush right out the bottom drains with the water.
The prior art also contains a line of patents covering conduit manholes which are underground and are for the purpose of repelling water and surface drainage, rather than collecting it, so as to protect utility lines while enabling a workman to climb down therewithin without becoming wet. Such conduit manholes are exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 12,205 to Baker of Mar. 22, 1904; 810,855 to Haller, et al, of Jan. 23, 1906; and 261,649 to Apple of 1882. In this type manhole, the side walls are water-impervious and free of apertures throughout their height, no surface or subsurface water is intended to be admitted, and a drain is invariably provided in the bottom wall to discharge any moisture which may find its way into the manhole.